![]() The ideal time to visit is around new moon or full moon, and up to three days after, when the tidal current is at its strongest. No wonder why people from all around the world travel to Northern Norway to experience the world-famous nature phenomena. We are talking 400 million cubic metres of seawater moving at an impressive 13 kilometres per hour on average – far more when the current is at its strongest. Here’s what not to miss while visiting the world’s strongest tidal current.įour times a day, a huge volume of water forces its way through the 150-metre narrow strait in Saltstraumen, making enormous whirlpools that dance between the fjords. There’s a lot of cool (and safe) ways to experience the maelstrom. You can hear the sound of the extreme forces of nature, as 400 million cubic meters of water cross the narrow strait. ![]() When the tide turns and flows in and out between the fjords, spectacular maelstroms are created in Saltstraumen. Massive forces are in play between the two fjords Saltenfjorden and Skjerstadfjorden, outside the city of Bodø in Northern Norway. The Saltstraumen Maelstrom is one of Norway's more unusual natural occurrences, which is guaranteed to occur four times every 24 hours.Do you want to visit the hourglass of the universe? At the 3km-long, 150m-wide Saltstraumen Strait, the tides cause one fjord to drain into another, creating the equivalent of a maelstrom at sea. The result is a churning, 20-knot watery chaos that shifts over 400 million cu metres of water one way, then the other, every six hours. This maelstrom, claimed to be the world's largest, is actually a kinetic series of smaller whirlpools that form, surge, coalesce, then disperse, and it's an ideal environment for plankton, which in turn attract an abundance of fish and therefore anglers.īeing there at the right time involves careful planning. Whirlpools of the maelstrom of Saltstraumen, Nordland, Norway. In spring, you can also see the squawking colonies of gulls that nest on the midstream island of Storholmen.Īt its best – which is most of the time – it's an exhilarating spectacle. The maelstrom off Norway, as illustrated by Olaus Magnus on the Carta Marina, 1539. ![]() Photo about current, norway, fjord, environment, blue, flow, norwegian, northern, hole. One of the first scientific descriptions of Moskstraumen was presented by the Norwegian priest and national poet Petter Dass in his poem Nordlands Trompet which included a versified topographical description of northern Norway. Should you be unlucky enough to hit an off day, it may recall little more than the water swirling around your bath plug. They call it the Lofoten Wall, this island chain that seems to rise up sheer and black out of the Norwegian Sea, frosted with white in winter, emerald green. The experience is more immediate from the shoreline, but for the best views, stand on the arching Saltstraumbrua bridge, overlooking the strait, and watch as the waters swirl like nebulae.Īs a general rule, when the tide is coming in from the west, the best views are on the east side of the bridge. When the tide's going out, they're on the west side. Arrive early enough to visit the visitor centre and check which way things are going. ![]() Pick up a tide table in advance from the tourist office in Bodø or elsewhere, or your hotel none are on display at the site itself. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |